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Intrepid Interior

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  • jeffel82jeffel82 Member Posts: 2,075 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    Actually by the same token that I can't make a firm proclamation on the sales of the defiant bundle you can't either (and unlike in my case I doubt there's any circumstantial evidence to inform that hypocritical guess on your part about encouraging sales figures.)

    I can confirm that devs have directly stated that bridge packs were not big sellers. Unfortunately, I fear the source has been lost to the scourge of Archived Post.
    No, but people tend to use the items they buy more frequently than those they don't own. While we can't assume that every player without vedek robes on at this moment DOESN'T own the defiant bundle, we can't assume without direct visual evidence that there is ANY significant group of players out there that does.

    This is what we call reasonablity. Try it sometime.

    Let's get anecdotal.

    Okay. I own the DS9 bundle. I don't use the Vedek robes or the shuttle.

    I own the TOS bundle. I don't use any of its contents with regularity.

    I own the Sehlat cub. Haven't used it in ages.

    Joined Trill. Don't use it.

    Peregrine Fighter. Don't use it.

    Galaxy Retrofit. Defiant Retrofit. Every T5 Romulan ship from the Legacy Pack. Most C-Store KDF ships. Most Federation and KDF costumes.

    I own all of these things, but you wouldn't know it to look at my character.
    You're right. The work here is very important.
    tacofangs wrote: »
    ...talking to players is like being a mall Santa. Everyone immediately wants to tell you all of the things they want, and you are absolutely powerless to deliver 99% of them.
  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    jeffel82 wrote: »
    I can confirm that devs have directly stated that bridge packs were not big sellers. Unfortunately, I fear the source has been lost to the scourge of Archived Post.

    Is the voyager interior a bridge pack? No, not quite. Its providing a lot more content and unlike those packs it does have a sort of special "advertising" in the form of a themed expansion and missions that use it.

    "Played mindscape? How about this c-store item!"

    Its not hard to see the potential demand for a one off.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
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  • jeffel82jeffel82 Member Posts: 2,075 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    Is the voyager interior a bridge pack? No, not quite. Its providing a lot more content and unlike those packs it does have a sort of special "advertising" in the form of a themed expansion and missions that use it.

    My bad - I misread your original post and though you were referring to the old dev statement on bridge packs selling poorly.

    None of us are coming out and saying the DS9 bundle sold well. We're just telling you that you need to back up your statements with hard evidence if you're going to claim it didn't.
    You're right. The work here is very important.
    tacofangs wrote: »
    ...talking to players is like being a mall Santa. Everyone immediately wants to tell you all of the things they want, and you are absolutely powerless to deliver 99% of them.
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  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    valoreah wrote: »
    You're assuming everyone will buy everything. They won't. Some will buy ships, others will buy uniforms, others will buy DOFF packs etc. There is something for everyone. What this sounds like to me is you plan on buying a bunch of other stuff, and want the Intrepid interior on the cheap.

    Where the hell am I making that assumption? There's competing content, some people will buy ships, others will buy uniforms. Some will just buy t5-u upgrades but NEVER did I make ANY implication that I expect "everyone" to buy "everything."

    There's a lot of choice in the market and you want to drop a bundle into that. It still provides more choice, sure, but among those that are interested in buying other content (and I do include myself in that, its a reasonable stance after all for an STO player to want new things for their game) it imposes a rather large constraint which counts heavily against said bundle. (most of the price of a T6 ship, which cryptic has put quite a lot of effort into BTW, or a bunch of voyager nick nacks surrounding the one meaningful piece of content?)

    THEN you have the production limitations of filling that bundle. THEN you have the expressed interest in a stand alone, high quality, FED interior (separate from the interest in iconic VOY content but cound none the less be at least partially satisified by it).

    Where is the sense of a bundle? Where is the need? Where is the space in development? For as much as you can criticize my interest in a stand alone, I can poke holes in the bundle all day.

    The existing Voyager items may be old to you. They aren't old to a brand new player just coming to the game for the first time. That important part hasn't sunk in with you yet it would seem.

    No, it has. I explicitly stated as such that NEW sales are important (thanks for comprehending). What you've so consistently neglected about business is the need to sell things to existing customers since the NEW market is only a component of the greater consumer base.

    I'm not trying to make any claims as to how well it sold or not. I had only repeated what the Devs have posted in the past with regard to ship interiors. They have posted before how things like bridge packs, interiors, emote packs, ship skins and costumes don't sell well. IIRC that was one of (if not the main one) reasons behind the DS9, TOS and Enterprise bundles. Bundling the items with others stuff led to better sales.

    So why not pack in all ships, all uniforms, all upgrades, all bridge officers, and all other content to make bundle, after bundle, after bundle (with no option to buy individual items)?

    Because bundling isn't an automatic sales generator. Its just a way of grouping low demand content together into what might be a more appealing package but at the cost of raising the price point of the larger package versus the separable transactions (if there is any significant interest in those). That explains the TOS bundle, the defiant bundle, and why that's pretty much it for exclusive-containing bundle packs.

    But what about Voyager? We have the themed expansion, we have the original cast, we have missions that take place on voyager. Its rather dim to neglect what Delta Rising is doing to create additional interest in a voyager interior beyond its place in the TV series. Unlike the TOS and Defiant interiors, this one is very well advertised and supported by the rest of the game's content.

    Its a very different situation to what we've seen before (and its good business sense to recognize when the social context changes, rather than stubbornly plowing through regardless and keeping to old pricing schemes. See. how businesses [sometimes] fail.)

    Its hard to see it selling badly enough that the Voy interior needs to be thrown into a bin with a bunch of other content that's been arbitrarily made, at this point, just to add more price-building fluff to the package. Just release the stand alone, let interested people buy it, and for those expecting a more elaborate package let them fish around the c-store for other themed items.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
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  • jeffel82jeffel82 Member Posts: 2,075 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    valoreah wrote: »
    LOL! What "production limitations"? They can add already existing items into it, or add more to it from stuff they've already created for DR.

    He seems convinced the devs haven't had time to create any Voyager-specific items for the bundle, because they had so much other stuff to create for the expansion. I'm not sure why.
    You're right. The work here is very important.
    tacofangs wrote: »
    ...talking to players is like being a mall Santa. Everyone immediately wants to tell you all of the things they want, and you are absolutely powerless to deliver 99% of them.
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  • jeffel82jeffel82 Member Posts: 2,075 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    valoreah wrote: »
    Thing is, for DR we know they created an Intrepid Interior. We know they've created Talaxian uniforms. We know they've created DQ specific DOFF packs. They could take those items and throw in the existing Delta Flyer (both shuttle and pet) plus the Voyager uniforms and there is a very good bundle already. I'd bet money this is what the content would be for it.

    It's also entirely possible that they found/made time to create other items (like those in my hypothetical list upthread).

    In fact, we know for a fact that they rendered the Aeroshuttle...do we know what they're planning to do with it?
    You're right. The work here is very important.
    tacofangs wrote: »
    ...talking to players is like being a mall Santa. Everyone immediately wants to tell you all of the things they want, and you are absolutely powerless to deliver 99% of them.
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  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    valoreah wrote: »
    Right, so you want a cheap interior because you intend to buy other things first. Ok so that's you. Others may buy a bundle because that's what they want over other things.

    So in either case you have to consider what the bundle is coming at the expense of or what is coming at the expense of a bundle. The defiant and TOS bundles didn't have to deal with this, if memory serves they weren't released at the heels of a major expansion nor any other major update to the c-store. They were just bundles, whereas the business implications of the Voyager bundle are a bit more complicated (because there will be OTHER INTERACTIONS going on.)

    LOL! What "production limitations"? They can add already existing items into it, or add more to it from stuff they've already created for DR.

    And as I pointed out adding existing items would NOT be in the interest of existing players nor would it provide any particular service to new players as well (it would largely LIMIT the market to the latter and as just stated without providing any benefits to them either. Its just arbitrary market slicing.)

    Well, given that we've heard the Devs say that FED side is more populated than the others, and add to that the players voted for Voyager in the last poll, I am thinking chances are good that a "Voyager Bundle" would sell. That's just my own guess though.

    Yah, and I'm doing more than just guessing. I'm thinking about the broader context of the bundle and seeing if its an appropriate time to try to sell another package on top of all the other content coming out for DR. It doesn't make sense, but do keep on guessing. There is the considerable probability that despite the potential complications, a Voyager pack could sell well and you'd be able to gain some extra smug points from this thread :)

    And that's basically the point (which Jeffel pretty much states states below). Cryptic has the numbers to justify a real decision. What we have is speculation. Lay it out, argue, and try to come up with the most reasonable guess to what the situation will be. That will justify someone's point of view, and poke one mighty hole in dissenting points of view. Either way, we learn something.
    I and others have already answered this for you. The DEVS, as in the people who develop this game and DO have access to the sales information have said that bundles = more sales, individual interiors = less sales.

    And as I said and supported with examples that always isn't the case. :P

    Take the operations pack. Is it an exclusive bundle? No, its a cost saving grouping of DR content in the same mode as the LoR bundle. Individual transactions are still made possible. Same with ship bundles. Why? After all, bundles=more sales right? Well, not always because a bundle also costs more (in total) than any one of the individual transaction. If people are only interested in a few bits, the bundle doesn't make sense (because its effectively raising the price beyond a reasonable point for it.)

    So take the voyager bundle. Historically (ie. during past seasons which in no real way utilized or supported bundled content) interiors haven't sold well but as I pointed out with reasons the historical example doesn't really apply. Voyager is in a much, much more focal position than the Defiant was or the old Enterprise AND on top of that the players are given access to the interior through several missions. That, in one sense, is advertising and with it so close to the heart of this next expansion its unreasonable to suppose that interior content for voyager NOW will have the same track record as older content which shipped under very different circumstances.

    According to the simple formula, bridge=bad sales, you may have a point but human social systems are a LOT more intricate than that. The simple statement generally isn't reliable, useful, or true to even a broad generalizatoin.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
  • jeffel82jeffel82 Member Posts: 2,075 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    My final thought on the subject is that I'm fairly certain Cryptic monitors the purchasing habit of the entire player base pretty closely, and they can probably be trusted to do whatever their data suggests will net them the most profit.

    The rest of us can speculate all we like about their sales, but it should be obvious that they're going to do whatever they think will make them the most money.
    You're right. The work here is very important.
    tacofangs wrote: »
    ...talking to players is like being a mall Santa. Everyone immediately wants to tell you all of the things they want, and you are absolutely powerless to deliver 99% of them.
  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    jeffel82 wrote: »
    My final thought on the subject is that I'm fairly certain Cryptic monitors the purchasing habit of the entire player base pretty closely, and they can probably be trusted to do whatever their data suggests will net them the most profit.

    The rest of us can speculate all we like about their sales, but it should be obvious that they're going to do whatever they think will make them the most money.

    That should be taken as read. However we can still freely guess at the problem because in so doing we should be expressing our view of the market and how we think the individual components fit together to create this or that environment which would be better suited for this or that deal.

    If our answer is in line with what cryptic does, then hey we've successfully applied reason to a problem. If it isn't, then its time to go back and revisit our view of the game and its economy. Its a useful exercise, if nothing else.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
  • tacofangstacofangs Member Posts: 2,951 Cryptic Developer
    edited October 2014
    carlosbfly wrote: »
    I'm surprised we've heard no more on this. Can we not expect the interior to be available upon DR launch? Which would be a real shame.

    Depends on what you're asking about? You will see Voyager's interior in Delta Rising. But I think the player ship version isn't being released at launch.

    I don't know specifics with how/when it will be released/sold/bundled/etc.
    Only YOU can prevent forum fires!
    19843299196_235e44bcf6_o.jpg
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  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    valoreah wrote: »
    This is irrelevant. Every item in the C-Store is going to be competing with the new DR stuff at launch. EVERY item. That competition isn't going to last forever though, so your argument here doesn't wash.

    And by the time you get around to that Eclipse you held off on because you spent money on other things cryptic may easily be counting on new interest in the next round of stuff to spend your money on. C-store content stays but new releases often relegate older ones to positions further back within the game's economic system (see. the Tempest, its hard to see cryptic considering that a major component to their economic success now for delta rising.)

    Therefore if you release too much too soon, players won't be able to capitalize on the demand that content may have been able to generate on its own (without a saturated market.) If that competition factor is high enough you may in fact render the "extra" releases moot (as the added cost of developing that ship or bundle won't in this case be materially increasing the money spent on the game. It'd be wasted effort.)

    Its far better to optimize what's coming out to nearly satisfy (with a preference towards going just a bit over than under) demand. If you can still make more stuff, save that effort for developing future releases where it can have a greater payoff.

    You are again assuming that every existing player already owns the existing Voyager items. Maybe they do or maybe they don't. A bundle is targeted toward people who don't have the items in it or want at least some (if not all) the items in it. It's not meant for everyone. Not every product produced is for every customer, nor does it really need to be.

    Whether or not EVERY player has ALL the content isn't the question. If any amount own ANYTHING from the voyager bundle, repurposed content will be inflating the price of that bundle for that segment of the market. And for what, again? It wouldn't hurt "new" players but there's nothing about this bundle that appeals to new players either (because unlike the Delta Rising ops bundle or LOR starter pack it doesn't represent a cost savings versus each individual item.) Its just marketable to them on a technicality, ie. they're not excluded (but that doesn't make it an appropriately targeted item for them. Its just who you're left with.)
    You're ignoring the obvious here. Sure, bundles may cost more than an individual item in it, but the sum cost of all the individual items is greater than the bundle. Ships are also an entirely different animal. The Devs have posted that ships in general sell well. Interiors never have, nor have costumes, emote packs etc. This is why those less desirable items are in bundles.

    You're mixing two types of bundles.

    1. Cost saving bundles (ex. 3 ship packs, LoR, DR, ect.)
    2. Exclusive content bundles (defiant, TOS)

    Because the items aren't priced individually in the case of the latter you cannot refer to it as a cost savings. If you want any one of those items, you have to buy the full set. So, if you want the full set well and good. But, if you don't its representing an additional cost (which is why the first type breaks down the items to make a greater number of smaller sales, rather than only fewer big ones.)
    So if I'm understanding this right, since DR is Voyager themed, there should be no Voyager bundle even though it's the prime time to release one and historically, bundles sell better. Also, prior bundles didn't sell because there was no TOS or DS9 themed expansion for them?

    You aren't thinking. Its voyager themed so you can't use the historical example (ie. full interiors need bundling) because it [potentially] doesn't apply to this situation (rule one of trying to use lessons from history in a modern context). So you MAY be able to sell the Voyager interior on its own without having to snatch content from elsewhere (one way or the other) to fill up the package.

    The Devs have posted so in the past. They're not going to change that model now just for the Intrepid. They have access to the historical sales data which tells them bundles = money. Guess what they're going to do?

    Assumption: its a model. It isn't. Its a precedent that cryptic is free to break from depending on how desirable it is to do so. As I've pointed out with support, that time is more likely now.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
  • edited October 2014
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  • gurluasgurluas Member Posts: 464 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    tacofangs wrote: »
    Depends on what you're asking about? You will see Voyager's interior in Delta Rising. But I think the player ship version isn't being released at launch.

    I don't know specifics with how/when it will be released/sold/bundled/etc.

    That's disappointing if true..
    Good thing I fly an Ambassador class now, I'd be really sad if I still flew an Intrepid.
  • carlosbflycarlosbfly Member Posts: 682 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    tacofangs wrote: »
    Depends on what you're asking about? You will see Voyager's interior in Delta Rising. But I think the player ship version isn't being released at launch.

    I don't know specifics with how/when it will be released/sold/bundled/etc.

    Hmmm, disappointing. I really thought it would be ready to go for DR launch.
  • heraldofmanweheraldofmanwe Member Posts: 38 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    tacofangs wrote: »
    Depends on what you're asking about? You will see Voyager's interior in Delta Rising. But I think the player ship version isn't being released at launch.

    I don't know specifics with how/when it will be released/sold/bundled/etc.

    That is sad. I hope the reason is not to avoid "put it in the Delta Ops Pack" whining.

    Whenever it is released, you guys did a fantastic job on it.
  • gurluasgurluas Member Posts: 464 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    Hopefully this extra time means we get trophy slots.
  • trekbob5trekbob5 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited October 2014
    So its launch day, where is the new intrepid interior for my ship?
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  • theanothernametheanothername Member Posts: 1,512 Arc User
    edited November 2014
    So, now then that we have an announcement of some kind (http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=1300231) it would be REALLY nice to know why I should give you my money (beyond sympathy of course):

    - Is the interior useable on any ship?
    - Is the bridge "fused" to the rest like with the Defiant or can I add any bridge to it?
    - How different will the standart vs. the S7 interior be?
    - Will there be a seperate interiors offer after whatever this "limited offer" means?

    Thanks for reading :)
  • robert359robert359 Member Posts: 355 Arc User
    edited November 2014
    So, are we going to be able to get the interior seperate from the bundle?

    As much as I want the interior and bridge, I am not buying the bundle.
    "The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."
    Douglas MacArthur - Quote on the dedication plaque of the U.S.S. Ranger NCC-97332-A Armitage class Fleet Heavy Strike Wing Escort.
  • thutmosis85thutmosis85 Member Posts: 2,358 Arc User
    edited November 2014
    robert359 wrote: »
    So, are we going to be able to get the interior seperate from the bundle?

    As much as I want the interior and bridge, I am not buying the bundle.

    According to the DEV Blog you're not even getting the Interior for buying the "basic" T6-Version ... so I doubt it ... want the Interior, 4000+ Zen please ... (happened before with the TOS & Belfast Pack)

    PS : They could have made at least this one Free for everyone who bought the Intrepid 1, 2 or 3-times already, but nope ...
    Patch Notes : Resolved an Issue, where people would accidently experience Fun.
  • robert359robert359 Member Posts: 355 Arc User
    edited November 2014
    I understand then selling stuff, they need to make money to stay in busness.

    I don't understand not selling the interior as a seprate item for those that don't want the ship.
    "The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."
    Douglas MacArthur - Quote on the dedication plaque of the U.S.S. Ranger NCC-97332-A Armitage class Fleet Heavy Strike Wing Escort.
  • carlosbflycarlosbfly Member Posts: 682 Arc User
    edited November 2014
    According to the DEV Blog you're not even getting the Interior for buying the "basic" T6-Version ... so I doubt it ... want the Interior, 4000+ Zen please ... (happened before with the TOS & Belfast Pack)

    God, I didn't even realise that. This really is daylight robbery. A pity they couldn't just make a Voyager pack that includes the bridge, with some other Voyager costumes and stuff.
  • tacofangstacofangs Member Posts: 2,951 Cryptic Developer
    edited November 2014
    So, now then that we have an announcement of some kind (http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=1300231) it would be REALLY nice to know why I should give you my money (beyond sympathy of course):

    - Is the interior useable on any ship?
    - Is the bridge "fused" to the rest like with the Defiant or can I add any bridge to it?
    - How different will the standart vs. the S7 interior be?
    - Will there be a seperate interiors offer after whatever this "limited offer" means?

    Thanks for reading :)

    Can't answer 1 or 4 (dunno)
    but the bridge is fused to the interior. That's just how bridge maps are made.

    Standard Version comes with a bank of replicators, Voyager version comes with Neelix's kitchen.
    Standard Version comes with a standard Cargo Bay, Voyager version comes with Borg Alcove converted Cargo Bay.
    Only YOU can prevent forum fires!
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